SIX General Tips to Improve Your First Camping Experience

Do you want to go out on your first ever camping trip to Arizona, but you have no idea where to start? Don’t worry. You are not alone. Camping is an excellent way to escape the grind of your everyday routine and explore nature in all its glory. But spending the night in the wilderness seems a bit overwhelming if you are new to camping.

So, we are here with six general camping tips for beginners to improve your experience. From planning your first trip to selecting your camping gear, safety tips, and more, these useful tips will help you conquer your first outdoor adventure like a pro.

Ready to read? Alright, here are some general tips to make your adventure a memorable experience.

1. Choose Your Camping Style

Camping comes in different styles. You need to choose the right camping style for you before you even start planning your first outdoor excursion. You should think about all the facilities you want during your trip and then select a camping style on the basis of it. For instance, below are some popular camping styles.

Tent Camping is the most common type and is done in a state or national park’s campgrounds. It requires a little less preparation on your part.

Car Camping – the second most common type and done by camping in the back of your vehicle.

Primitive camping – is also a trendy type and done in a primitive campground that often lacks restrooms.

Dispersed camping – AKA boondocking is when you have to find your own camping site, usually in the wild. This type of camping requires extensive planning on your part.

 

2. Find some discount camping gear

Camping gear is expensive. When you are a beginner, you don’t want to overspend. Thankfully there are certain ways to get your favorite camping gear for a whole lot less. For instance, one excellent way is to wait for out-of-season sales. Winters is always a good time to bag some bargains. Thoroughly do your research via online stores as well. You can also buy from REI during their biggest seasonal sales to get discount prices. Finally, if you aren’t willing to spend your money on your camping gear yet, try renting it out from online or offline stores. This way, you can save a lot of money on camping gear.

 

3. Always plan for the bad weather

Sure, weather predictions aren’t always right. But, checking the weather will give you an idea of the weather conditions. Even if the conditions are good, always plan for the bad weather. Because when you are out in the wild, you are never certain of how it may turn out. Therefore, we recommend packing some warm layers, waterproof clothing, sun protection, insect repellant, lighting, and a warm hat. You can bring anything else that you feel is necessary. There’s nothing wrong with being over-prepared. Everything can come in handy. Until you are experienced enough to make your list, it’s better to be prepared for all kinds of situations.

4. Wear something durable yet made of quick-drying materials

You cannot wash clothes or change your upper layers every other day when you are outdoors. Therefore, it’s imperative that you need to wear something that’s made of suitable materials. You should wear clothes made of durable materials, odor-resistant, and quick to dry. For instance, polyester blend materials and merino wool are good options. Avoid materials like denim and cotton because they are a bit heavy and absorb moisture. You can also go for brands like North Face, REI, Patagonia, and others for durable outdoor clothing. As for shoes, if you will be hiking a lot, invest in a good hiking shoe pair like the Columbia Newton Ridge. As a rule of thumb, avoid lace-up shoes at all costs. You don’t want to worry about lacing up in the dark for a quick bathroom run.

 

5. Cook Simple meals

Don’t try to go for elaborate camping meals. You should stay simple and start with things that cook quickly. For example, one-pan skillet and hamburgers are some of the best meals for camping. Try to stick to meals you are already familiar with. You shouldn’t try cooking something brand new on your first camping trip. Moreover, plan your meals ahead of time and cook them before sunset. Cooking in the dark is no fun. Plus, there’s always the danger of bugs and other insects that get attracted to light falling into the cooking pan. You should give yourself plenty of time to cook meals and wash the dishes before it gets too dark. We also suggest bringing propane camp stoves to make cooking easy for beginners. And don’t forget to bring some durable eating equipment along.

6. Don’t forget the first aid kit

 

One big mistake beginners often make forgetting the first aid kit. There are several beginner-friendly first aid kits available online. Just make sure it includes all the essentials like antiseptic wipes, antibacterial ointment, bandages, medical tape, moleskin (or blister treatment), ibuprofen (or any other painkiller), etc. Well, fingers crossed, we hope you won’t need it. However, just having the peace of mind that you have the basics to clean up or bandage a wound is a great feeling. This is because when you are outdoors, you never know when things may go wrong. Accidents can happen. It’s better to be ready with a first aid kit than regret your decisions later. In case you are camping with a pet, we suggest taking a separate first aid kit for them.

 

Final Thoughts

So these were six general tips to improve anyone’s first camping trip. If you made it this far, it means you are ready to take on your very first camping trip. However, keep in mind this is not an exhaustive list, and camping requires far more meticulous planning before you head out. No one becomes an expert overnight. You have to take multiple camping trips to understand your unique requirements better. As they say, practice makes us perfect. So, go out into nature and see what works best for you. Have fun!